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Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
12/13/09
I had 6 phones on my list -- not all checked at that point -- and clicked "Add another phone". The response was, "Your account already has the maximum number of forwarding phones."
I had to remove one of the 6 before I was allowed to add one.
12/12/09
one of the big problems i have encountered with the cell phone app (blackberry):
You don't automatically receive text messages. You have to constantly refresh (unless i missed something).
12/12/09
12/07/09
12/07/09
Anyway, if you're a film user like me your camera will eventually need to be CLA'ed (Cleaned, Lubricated and Adjusted) There a lot of great reliable services out there. Check the "I Love FIlm" group on Flickr or check around on Photo.net
Microfiber cloths are awesome and if you need to find some cheap, check Wal*Mart or Target and go to the Automotive section. You can get a package of 5 for the price of just 1 found in the cleaning supplies isle.
I also cleaned my Wii Controllers and the balance board (which accumulated some nasty foot funk) with a store brand equivalent of a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
12/06/09
It bugs me when I hear people refer to all alcohols as "booze", as in this article. Isopropyl alcohol is NOT booze. Do not use anything like vodka or whisky or gin or anything you might drink, as there are a host of other things in them (plant extracts, esters, grain "varnishes", etc.) that become sticky, stinky and nasty once the ethyl alcohol has evaporated away. Also, for your own safety, do not treat isopropyl alcohol as booze. It is NOT safe to consume.
I recommend denatured alcohol, when alcohol is used on electronics. It seems to evaporate more cleanly than rubbing alcohols like isopropyl. I keep a box of alcohol prep pads by my work keyboard to keep keyboard plaque at bay every couple weeks, but I have moist hands that generate plaque very easily. They leave a cloudy residue, but the plaque is gone.
For dirty computer cases, a few people have recommended either vacuuming them out with a crevice tool, or having the vacuum cleaner handy. (Someone said that fan filters for the PC case fans are a plus, especially if you have pets or carpets in the same room, and I cannot agree more. Make them part of your build list when putting a new PC together.) I suggest that the vacuum is a necessity... if you don't have one, borrow one from a neighbor before you start. The electrostatic charges in PC cases attract such very fine dust and dander (from our pets) that these can cause real irritation problems for your sinuses and airway. In some parts of the country, roaches and mice may be common, regardless of how clean you keep your house. If you have a PC in or near the kitchen, putting on a filter mask before vacuuming is an especially good idea. Then, use the canned air and dust the area afterwards, right away, before you move around too much.
Don't buy one can of duster. Buy the 3-pack, or a couple 3-packs. Why?, because the dusters will get cold after 6-12 quick blasts, and the amount of propellant left will not offer the same pressure as when it was warm. When one can gets cold, pick up another one, and rotate through your cans, letting them warm up before picking them up again.
Finally, canned air (duster) is great for small devices/areas, or when just a few quick blasts are needed, but none of it is good for you to breathe or the environment to receive (even if you get the ozone-friendly stuff). They also seem to be popular for stupid kids to huff these days. If you're serious about regularly dusting your electronics, get a small shop air compressor (yeah, they're kinda noisy and a bit spendy) -- it'll blast nothing but air and will give you consistent pressure.
12/06/09
When you're cleaning just have the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner behind whereever you're spraying so when that dirt is dislodged it funnels into the cleaner. Even if you don't have a can of air a vacuum cleaner will work great at picking up lots of surface dust and clumps and can be especially good on heatsinks.
I'd also reccommend a large paintbrush with soft fibers for getting dust out of cracks and crevices. Again heatsinks are the main offender here and they're also the places you want to make sure are dust free.
12/06/09
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12/05/09
12/05/09
[shop.lego.com]
12/05/09
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12/05/09
Seriously though, this may just be coincidence, but I only use a vacuum with metal attachments and lining in the hose, so I've never had to really worry. I also do not stick it anywhere inside the case as there's more than enough airflow from over a foot away.
12/05/09
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12/05/09
Whatever they use at the Apple Store on my macbook screen is certainly better than the damp cloth I've been using. My screen is never cleaner than when I drop it off for some unnecessary service.
12/05/09
12/05/09
12/05/09
What?
12/05/09
Curses my vision!